Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 219 - Jealous, Jealous, Jealous, Jealous

Chapter 219: Jealous, Jealous, Jealous, Jealous

 

“Thank you very much, Lord Karr.”

Charlotte approached with a sigh of relief and hoisted the soundly sleeping Michelle onto her back.

“We almost ended up with a horrific disaster….”

“Fortunately, I arrived in time.”

Even though they had nearly run out of alcohol, the only casualty had been a single undead. It truly could be called nothing short of a miracle.

“I’ll hurry upstairs and tie the Madam to her bed.”

Charlotte smiled bitterly.

“I just hope she doesn’t go on another rampage when she wakes up this time.”

“Hmm.”

I thought for a moment.

“The Wood Elf I met in District Five possesses [Refreshing Companion], which can calm both body and mind. Shall I ask him for help?”

The druid Miruel belonged directly to the Unity Guild under Chairman Blackbeak.

Since I’d received access privileges to the Unity Guild as my reward from Blackbeak, I could request his assistance whenever I wished.

“If I call him, he’ll come immediately.”

“That’s wonderful news.”

Charlotte glanced at Michelle’s sleeping face and smiled faintly.

“Then, shameless though it may be…”

She bowed.

“I’d like to ask a favor of you.”

“Certainly.”

I nodded.

“Go on upstairs now.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

After Charlotte left the dining room carrying Michelle, Rosalia and I celebrated our victory once more.

Without our taciturn assassin, I’d probably have been forced into doing something deeply embarrassing by now.

“Big Sis.”

I smiled at her.

“Good work.”

“…You too.”

Rosalia gave me a thumbs-up, enthusiastically waving her arm.

She looked happier than I’d ever seen her before.

“…Cultist Karr.”

Still rubbing my throbbing neck, I turned around.

Odilon was staring at me with wide eyes.

“…What exactly did I just witness?”

I beamed at the Young Master.

“Young Master.”

I smiled brightly.

“Would you be alright with having two mothers?”

“…Ha.”

Odilon exhaled a puff of smoke from [Comforter] and brushed back his hair.

“That explanation is more than enough.”

He waved me away.

“Now hurry back to your own home.”

Ordinarily, I’d have pouted and insisted on staying a little longer.

But this time, I couldn’t bring myself to.

“…If respecting that man as my father is the alternative…”

Odilon quietly muttered,

“…I’d much rather spend my life listening to your absurd nonsense.”

The eyes of the youngest young master of House Brites… the boy who distrusted everyone… looked more bitter than ever before.

 

***

 

Karr’s home in Cultist Town.

“Welcome home, Mr. Cultist!!”

Rachel, our faint-shadow operative and housekeeper, bowed at a perfect right angle as she greeted us.

She was carrying Baby Karr (AKarr) in her arms.

“Waaah, waaah. Marlin! Waaah!”

“…Ah, stop it! That’s creepy!”

While Marlin recoiled in horror from the baby, Abel came out from the kitchen, having paused his cooking, and bowed.

“Patron. Welcome back. ‘That person’ is waiting for you in the basement.”

“Is that so?”

After gently patting Abel’s head, I headed downstairs.

“You’ve arrived.”

The Demon King, who had been quietly reading atop an altar in the perpetually dark basement, waved to me.

Tap. Tap.

He closed the book, then patted his thigh.

“Come here.”

My lord was inviting me over.

I hurried over and took up my designated position for receiving affection.

Enjoying the Demon King’s gentle hand stroking my back, I looked toward the figure lying bound beside the altar.

“……”

A lizardman I’d never met before lay face-down on the floor, completely restrained.

[Great Monster Apostle “Whisperer” Zmurtral (Lizardman, 34 years old). A shaman who worships “Fate” itself. For some reason, he has already completely lost his mind.]

“Why has he gone insane?”

“He gazed too deeply into future destinies.”

The Demon King answered calmly.

“And lost his mind.”

“Dear me.”

I nodded.

“Then he requires treatment.”

When certain objects broke, they could sometimes be repaired simply by turning them off and back on.

The human mind could be healed through a similar principle.

“You’re planning to turn him into an undead servant?”

“Exactly.”

Just as I’d successfully recruited an enemy conspirator something impossible in the game I intended to make Zmurtral my ally as well.

As an undead subordinate, one who could never betray me.

“However…”

I looked down at him.

“The quality of his soul surpasses mine by too much. I can’t turn him into an undead with [Death · Flame · Transformation].”

Wriggle…

The Quiet One urgently conveyed His will.

“Then obtain… obtain a better flame!”

Perhaps because the birth of a high-level undead was drawing near, Lord Lriria’s faint voice overflowed with excitement and anticipation.

“Please calm yourself.”

I smiled.

“I was already planning to obtain a new Mystery.”

Clap. Clap.

At the sound of my applause, two undead walked down into the basement.

They were the Smoked Undead I’d created from the bandits’ corpses last time.

“You’re planning to perform a sacrificial ritual?”

“Exactly.”

Caressing the snake tattoo on my left hand, I turned toward the Demon King.

“Before that…”

I politely bowed.

“May I receive the Sin Mystery you promised me earlier?”

“Of course!”

The Demon King smiled broadly.

“Which sin do you wish to seize?”

There was one sin that suited me perfectly.

“[Sin: Envy], please.”

[Just hearing the name gives me a bad feeling! Please don’t let it be that damned Sin Mystery!]

“Very well!”

The Demon King clapped his hands.

“Let’s begin immediately!”

I quietly knelt on one knee.

The Demon King gazed down at me, then slowly reached out.

Tap.

The instant his thick index finger touched my forehead…

Craaack!

Excruciating pain surged throughout my entire body, as though every part of me were twisting apart.

Then, an indescribably strange sensation began wrapping itself around my entire being.

[The growth-type Mystery (Third Order), [Sin: Envy], has taken root within your body!]

The Demon King caught me before I collapsed.

Holding me upright, he asked,

“How do you feel?”

Still in my lord’s arms, I stared blankly into empty space before answering.

“Somehow…”

I smiled.

“I feel refreshed. Right now, I think I could spend an entire day generating positive concepts.”

“That’s wonderful news.”

The Demon King grinned proudly before helping me back onto my feet.

“You successfully captured that lizardman.”

He nodded.

“Shouldn’t I uphold my promise now?”

“Indeed.”

“Prepare yourself.”

His smile widened.

“I won’t let you go until your entire body feels light enough to float away.”

“Oh my.”

Pretending to gasp in surprise while covering my mouth, I beckoned toward the two undead, who were standing around blankly.

“Please lie down side by side on the altar in the center.”

“- Uh… ah….”

“- Uuh… uugh….”

The undead climbed tightly together onto the middle altar among the three, then lay down shoulder to shoulder.

“Did you call for me?”

By then, Abel… my exceptionally capable assistant for sacrificial rituals… had arrived downstairs.

“Abel.”

I smiled.

“We’re about to offer a sacrifice to Lord Lriria.”

“Then…”

Abel nodded seriously.

“We’ll need a sacrifice overflowing with vitality, roasted until the outside is completely black.”

“Exactly. I’ll be infusing it with plenty of vitality shortly.”

“In that case…”

Abel took out his notebook, flipped through several pages, then spoke again.

“What do you think about this method?”

After listening attentively to my diligent young cook’s proposal, I nodded.

“That’s a splendid idea.”

I smiled.

“Just like I’d expect from you. Approved!”

“Thank you.”

After vigorously ruffling Abel’s hair, I suddenly remembered another child.

Pulling open the front of my shirt slightly, I called out,

“Come out.”

Shrrrk!

Perrin, in his wolf beastman form, immediately emerged and respectfully lowered his head.

“Perrin.”

“Yes, Master.”

“This child here is Abel.”

I smiled.

“He’s my sponsored child.”

“!”

Perin’s eyes widened. He immediately bowed politely toward Abel.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to working with you.”

“Abel.”

I continued.

“This child is Perrin, the daughter born between Lord Targon and me.”

“…Yes.”

Abel flinched slightly, though he answered with remarkable composure.

“Lord Abel.”

Perin smiled.

“If there’s anyone you’d like beaten up, please tell me.”

He clenched a fist.

“I’ll go knock them flat immediately.”

“……”

Watching the two children… one large, one small… with satisfaction, I approached the altar where the undead were lying.

Fwoosh!

First, I infused both undead with an enormous amount of [Death · Flame · Transformation].

So that they would become sacrifices overflowing with vitality, just as Lord Lriria preferred.

After that, I intended to combine Abel’s proposed cooking method with my own expertise.

“Abel. Have you grown accustomed to Charlotte-Style Blazing Cuisine?”

“Yes.”

He nodded.

“I continued practicing while the others were preparing for the tournament.”

“Good.”

I smiled.

“Then ignite the sacrifices.”

Lord Lriria was extremely particular even about which flame was used to roast His offerings.

He’d complained that the expensive exploration ignition tool we’d used last time lacked proper smoky flavor, so this time we’d be using a different flame.

“I’ll start the fire.”

Standing before the altar, Abel stretched out one hand.

Fwoosh!

A green flame, the same color as Charlotte’s hair, blossomed from his still-small palm.

Charlotte-Style Blazing Cuisine. An excellent martial Mystery, equally suited for both cooking and combat.

“- Grrrrr…!”

The undead slowly began burning with green flames.

The heat wasn’t excessive… just a gentle fire.

The key to today’s offering was slow roasting, allowing the flavor of the flames themselves to fully develop.

“So.”

The special observer, who had been speaking with Perrin behind us, looked over.

“You’re finally going to use it?”

“Yes.”

I nodded.

“As expected, you recognized it immediately.”

I quietly watched the undead, who had become nothing more than firewood.

The green flames blazed beautifully.

Those flames… should have been mine. It should have been me feeling the agony of my flesh melting away within those raging fires.

 

Jealous.

 

Jealous.

 

Jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous, jealous.

 

[:/]

[[Sin: Envy] has activated….]

The instant Truthy’s message appeared before my eyes…

Fwoosh!

The green flames burning the undead vanished.

At exactly the same time, my own body burst into flames.

“Aaah…!”

An ecstatic burning pain.

A blazing agony, as though my very life itself were aflame, consumed my body whole.

“…What did you just do?”

Abel hurriedly stepped away from me.

“It’s the effect of [Sin: Envy].”

Even while answering, I wholeheartedly enjoyed the flames of Charlotte-Style Blazing Cuisine.

Yes. This was exactly it.

Just as I’d imagined… such wonderfully intense heat. I wanted to burn like this forever.

“Actually…”

The Demon King observed me, reborn as a living beacon.

“That isn’t how the Mystery was originally intended to be used. Ordinarily, it’s a Mystery that covets and steals enhancements or special powers granted to an enemy’s body.”

“…So I used it in precisely the opposite manner.”

“Exactly.”

The Demon King laughed.

“But I quite like this usage as well!”

Through Soul Bond, I could feel my lord’s emotions flowing into me.

He was probably receiving my emotions in real time as well.

“Grand Duke Karr has discovered an entirely new application for a Mystery I myself never knew!”

The Demon King’s voice grew increasingly excited.

“That is undeniably a positive action!”

“…Is that so?”

“Furthermore, Grand Duke Karr is using it in a field that genuinely brings him joy.”

He spread his arms dramatically.

“That means twice the positive emotions are flowing in!”

The flames transferred onto my body burned even more fiercely, finding half-elf firewood far more combustible than a dead body.

“Ahahahahaha!”

[You’ve gone and used another perfectly normal Mystery for something bizarre again….]

“Waaah!”

Suddenly, I heard crying.

It was coming from Ever-Growing Tree… the prosthetic leg wrapped around my right foot.

“You idiot!”

“Did it hurt?”

I smiled apologetically.

“I’m sorry.”

Miruel was such an exceptional druid that the tree had gained the ability to communicate.

Naturally, that created problems in situations like this.

The hardships and suffering I loved should belong to me alone. If I inconvenienced someone else, I could no longer enjoy them wholeheartedly.

“Huh?”

The Ever-Growing Tree, or Growy, as I’d begun calling it, laughed cheerfully.

“That’s not what I meant!”

It smiled brightly.

“At times like this, you’re supposed to pretend you’re hurting! That makes the other person even happier!”

“Oh.”

I nodded.

“You’re right.”

Perhaps because it had been created from the leaves of my Rot Sprout, its personality seemed remarkably similar to mine.

Still engulfed in flames, I lightly patted Growy wrapped around my right foot.

“You really do understand.”

“Hehe!”

“Shall we enjoy burning together?”

“Yes!”

“……”

Abel silently stared at me for a while.

Then he turned toward Perrin and spoke with complete seriousness.

“Please.”

He bowed his head.

“Don’t ever grow up to resemble our Patron in that regard.”